Sound box structure

ABSTRACT

A sound box structure includes a shell ( 10 ) and a speaker ( 30 ) received therein. The shell defines a resonance chamber ( 114 ) and a receiving chamber ( 115 ) communicating therewith. The speaker is received in the receiving chamber. The shell is Mg—Al alloy.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present invention generally relates to sound box structure, and particularly to a sound box structure used in an electronic device.

2. Description of Related Art

With the continuing development of technology, sound box structures have been widely used in electronic devices such as mobile phones, computers and other devices providing audio capabilities.

A typical sound box structure generally includes a shell and a speaker located therein. The speaker converts electric energy to vibration for producing sound. In addition to housing the speaker, the shell plays an important role in the quality of the sound transmitted. Resonance chamber size promotes corresponding mass of air driven, with commensurate quality of low frequencies transmitted. Larger resonance chambers reduce resistance of the air therein, with low frequency effect improving accordingly.

Currently, sound box shell structures are generally plastic. Due to low rigidity thereof, deformation is generated during operation, which decreases the quality of the low frequency sound. Accordingly, reinforcing ribs supporting the sound box structure are normally required. However, such reinforcing ribs not only complicate the sound box structure, but also reduce the resonance chamber in the shell, affecting low frequency reproduction.

In addition, the plastic shell is easily desiccated, shrunk and deformed during the injection molding fabrication process, which makes the plastic shell have an unappealing appearance and an inaccurate dimension. Moreover, the plastic shell has low thermal conductivity. As a result, heat generated from the speaker and other electronic components in the shell is slow to dissipate. Furthermore, the plastic shell easily enables sound from the speaker to generate standing waves. Upon termination of audio output, sound is delayed, which interferes with actual output. Moreover, the plastic shell adversely affects magnetic leakage prevention.

What is needed, therefore, is a sound box structure which overcomes the described limitations.

SUMMARY

A sound box structure includes a shell and a speaker received therein. The shell defines a resonance chamber and a receiving chamber communicating therewith. The speaker is received in the receiving chamber. The shell is Mg—Al alloy.

Other advantages and novel features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Many aspects of the present sound box structure can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the disclosed sound box structure. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

FIG. 1 is an assembled, isometric view of a sound box structure in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded, isometric view of the sound box structure of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is similar to FIG. 2, but viewed from another aspect.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a sound box structure includes a shell 10 and a speaker 30 located therein.

The shell 10 is Mg—Al alloy, and includes a bottom cover 11 and a top cover 13 engaging the bottom cover 11. Both of the top and bottom covers 13, 11 are semi-enclosed.

The bottom cover 13 includes a bottom wall 111 and a sidewall 112 vertically and upwardly extending from an outer periphery of the bottom wall 111. The bottom wall 111 and sidewall 112 cooperatively form a chamber 113 therebetween. The chamber 113 includes a resonance chamber 114 and a receiving chamber 115 communicating with the resonance chamber 114. The receiving chamber 115 is substantially circular, and receives the speaker 30 therein. An X-shaped supporting portion 116 extends upwardly from the bottom wall 111 and within the receiving chamber 115. The supporting portion 116 has an inclined top surface 125, and an acute angle is defined between the top surface 125 and the bottom wall 111. Two clapboards 117 vertically and upwardly extend from the bottom wall 111 and within the resonance chamber 114. One of the clapboards 117 is L-shaped, and the other is linear. The clapboards 117, the bottom wall 111, and the sidewall 112 cooperatively form an L-shaped inverted tube 118. The bottom wall 111 defines an inverted hole 119 (shown in FIG. 3) at a corner thereof. The inverted hole 119 extends through the bottom wall 111 and communicates with the inverted tube 118.

The sidewall 112 has a step 120 at a top thereof. Height of an inner side of the step 120 is less than that of an outer side of the step 120, so as to engage the top cover 13 conveniently. One portion of the sidewall 112 is sunken into the resonance chamber 114, defining a fixing groove 121 at a lateral side thereof.

Referring to FIG. 3, the top cover 13 is similar to the bottom cover 11, and also includes a bottom wall 131 and a sidewall 132. The bottom wall 131 and sidewall 132 cooperatively form a chamber 133 therebetween. The chamber 133 includes a resonance chamber 134 and a receiving chamber 135 communicating with the resonance chamber 134. The receiving chamber 135 is substantially circular, and receives the speaker 30 therein. The bottom wall 131 defines a circular through hole 136 aligning with the receiving chamber 135.

The sidewall 132 has different heights, with a lateral side higher than an opposite lateral side, which forms an actual angle between the bottom walls 131, 111. The sidewall 132 has a step 140 at a top end thereof. Height of an inner side of the step 140 exceeds that of an outer side of the step 140, so as to match the step 120 of the bottom cover 11. One portion of the sidewall 132 is sunken into the resonance chamber 134, defining a fixing groove 141 at a lateral side thereof. The fixing groove 141 matches the fixing groove 121 of the bottom cover 11. A first tab 142 outwardly extends from the sidewall 132 and within the fixing groove 141, and two second tabs 143 outwardly extend from the sidewall 132 adjacent to the receiving chamber 135. The first and second tabs 142, 143 fix the sound box structure onto an electronic device (not shown), such as mobile phone, computer or other device. In addition, three rubber washers 144 respectively enclose and cooperate with the first and second tabs 142, 143, reducing vibration between the sound box structure and the electronic device.

The speaker 30 converts electric energy into vibration to produce sound. The speaker 30 defines a plurality of front tone holes 31 (shown in FIG. 2) and a plurality of rear tone holes 32 opposite the front tone holes 31.

During assembly, the step 120 of the sidewall 112 of the bottom cover 11 engages the step 140 of the sidewall 132 of the top cover 13. The bottom and top covers 11, 13 are welded together. The resonance chamber 114 of the bottom cover 11 and the resonance chamber 134 of the top cover 13 further cooperatively form a resonance chamber. The receiving chamber 115 of the bottom cover 11 and the receiving chamber 135 of the top cover 13 further cooperatively form a receiving chamber. The speaker 30 is received in the receiving chamber. One end of the speaker 30, with rear tone holes 132, abuts the supporting portion 116 of the bottom cover 11, with the rear tone holes 132 communicating with the chamber of the sound box structure. The other end of the speaker 30, with front tone holes 131, abuts an outer edge of the through hole 136 of the bottom cover 11, with the front tone holes 131 aligning with the through hole 136 and facing out.

During operation, the speaker 30 generates sound through the front and rear tone holes 131, 132. The sound through the front tone holes 131 is directly transmitted out via the through hole 136. The sound through the rear tone holes 132 enters and resonates in the resonance chamber of the sound box structure, and is then transmitted out via the inverted tube 118 and inverted hole 119. The sound transmitted from the inverted hole 119 and the sound transmitted from the through hole 136 are superposed, widening the frequency bandwidth of the sound from the speaker 30.

In the sound box structure, the shell 10 is Mg—Al alloy, providing improved rigidity over plastic. Thus, there is no need to provide reinforcing ribs in the shell 10 or increase a thickness of the shell 10 to diminish deformation of the sound box structure. Accordingly, size of the resonance chamber in the shell 10 is increased, which lowers the low frequency effect of the sound of the sound box structure. Meanwhile, the overall structure of the sound box structure is simplified. In addition, the shell 10 does not desiccated, shrunk and deform during the producing process. Furthermore, the shell 10 has good thermal conductivity, such that heat generated from the speaker 30 and other electronic components in the shell 10 is dissipated promptly. Moreover, the shell 10 prevents generation of standing waves, shortening the lag time of sound after the speaker 30 stops transmitting.

Table 1 below shows experimental data of the sound box structure of FIGS. 1 to 3 via a Gauss Meter. A distance between the Gauss Meter and sound box structure is 1 cm. As compared to the typical sound box structure with a plastic shell, the shell 10 improves prevention of magnetic leakage.

TABLE 1 Magnetic leakage quantity (Gauss) Sound box structure of FIGS. 1 to 3 0.25 Typical sound box structure 0.4

It is believed that the present invention and its advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the examples hereinbefore described merely being preferred or exemplary embodiments of the invention. 

1. A sound box structure, comprising: a shell of Mg—Al alloy comprising a resonance chamber and a receiving chamber communicating therewith; and a speaker received in the receiving chamber.
 2. The sound box structure of claim 1, wherein the shell comprises a top cover and a bottom cover engaged therewith, wherein both the top and bottom covers are semi-enclosed.
 3. The sound box structure of claim 2, wherein each of the top and bottom covers comprises a bottom wall and a sidewall extending from an outer periphery thereof, and the resonance chamber and receiving chamber are enclosed by the bottom walls and the sidewalls of the top and bottom covers.
 4. The sound box structure of claim 3, wherein each of the top and bottom covers comprises a step at a top end thereof, and the step of the top cover engages with the step of the bottom cover.
 5. The sound box structure of claim 3, wherein a tab extends from at least one of the top and bottom covers, and is enclosed by a rubber washer.
 6. The sound box structure of claim 3, wherein a supporting portion extends from the bottom cover and within the receiving chamber, and an acute angle is defined between the bottom wall of the bottom cover and a top surface of the supporting portion.
 7. The sound box structure of claim 6, wherein the sidewall of the top cover has different heights, and an actual angle is defined between the bottom walls of the top and bottom covers.
 8. The sound box structure of claim 6, wherein the bottom wall of the top cover defines a through hole aligning with the speaker and receiving chamber.
 9. The sound box structure of claim 8, wherein the speaker comprises a plurality of front tone holes and a plurality of rear tone holes opposite to the front tone holes, and wherein the end of the speaker comprising the rear tone holes abuts the supporting portion, and the end of the speaker comprising the front tone holes abuts an outer edge of the through hole.
 10. The sound box structure of claim 2, wherein at least one clapboard extends from the bottom cover and within the resonance chamber, the clapboard, the bottom wall of the bottom cover and the side wall of the bottom cover cooperatively forming an inverted tube, and the bottom cover defining an inverted hole communicating with the inverted tube. 